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IS THE HEAT GETTING TO YOU?
How about the air quality? Is
this summer unusual? We’ve
already had multiple smog
alerts and a much warmer June
than normal.
By the middle of June, Toronto
had recorded seven days
over 30 celsius, four more than
in all of last summer. By the
same period, the city had already
reached a record-tying
20 smog advisory days.
On Hamilton mountain, the
air quality index had hit 40 or
more on 14 days by June 24.
It only reached that level five
times before mid-July last year.
Climate change projections
for Ontario warn us that things
may get a lot worse if we don’t
significantly change our emissions
of greenhouse gases. For
example, the number of days
where the temperature exceeds
30 celsius is expected to
average 30 by the 2030s and
surpass 50 by the 2080s.
Another study predicted “the
occurrence of oppressive air
masses — accompanied by
smog episodes, excessive temperatures
and high humidity —
could increase from five per
cent of summer days to 23–
39 per cent in the City of Toronto.”
When we hear the word
smog, many of us picture the
chemical “soup” that often appears
as a brownish-yellow
haze over cities. But smog isn’t
always visible. It’s a mixture of
air pollutants, including gases
and particles that are too small
to see.
Smog often begins in big cities,
but smog levels can be just
as high or higher in rural and
suburban areas. It’s a mixture
of pollutants, principally ground level
ozone produced by chemical
reactions in the air involving
smog-forming chemicals.
A major portion of smog formers come from burning petroleum-based fuels such as gasoline. Other sources such as volatile organic compounds are found in paints and solvents.
What you can do during a smog advisory:
- Use public transit or carpool rather than driving
- Avoid using gas-powered lawnmowers
- Don’t idle your car
- Save electricity at home by turning off unused lights
- Turn down air conditioners
- Cook without barbecues
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Smog can cause damage to
your heart and lungs – even
when you can’t see or smell it
in the air around you. Major
smog incidents are often linked
to heavy motor vehicle traffic,
sunshine, high temperatures
and calm winds or a weather
condition when warm air is
trapped close to the ground instead
of rising.
In early June, the Ontario
Medical Association issued revised
calculations of the annual
pre-mature deaths in the province
caused by air pollution. The
new number is 5800 per year,
three times higher than previously
suggested.
A major reason for the increase
is the recognition that
the effects of air pollutants are
not limited to those who are ill,
elderly or very young. The study
noted that “Even healthy outdoor
workers show a measurable
decrease in lung function
when exposed to low-levels of
ozone.”
All of this and more underlines
the importance of quickly
and sharply reducing our greenhouse
gas emissions, especially
those from vehicles and other
sources that create pollutants
harmful to our health.
Visit the Environment Hamilton
website and use our calculator to commit to reducing
your personal contribution to
these problems.
Get involved: tonnes@environmenthamilton.org
The Victoria Park Tree Fest and Community Barbeque was such a big success it may become an annual event.
About 200 people came out on June 4 to enjoy the
workshops, tours, face painting, kids activities, music
and eleven different displays.
